God's Provision

 The birth of Isaac.

God’s fulfillment of His promise to give Abraham a son was not based on Abraham’s perfection or flawless obedience, but on God’s faithfulness to His Word.

And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had spoken. 2 For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him (Genesis 21:1-2).

God is faithful even when we are imperfect. Though some of God’s promises are conditional, requiring our obedience or faith as a response. Others are unconditional, fulfilled solely because of God’s character and sovereignty. In Abraham’s story, the birth of Isaac demonstrated that God’s purposes prevail, not because of human merit, but because God keeps His word.

 Abraham puts out Hagar and Ishmael

Abraham’s act of sending Hagar and Ishmael away symbolizes more than a family separation, it is a spiritual illustration of separating law and grace, flesh and Spirit. Just as Hagar (a bondwoman) represents the covenant of law and Ishmael the work of the flesh, Isaac represents the child of promise—born through faith and the power of the Spirit [Galatians 4:22–31]. The two cannot coexist as guiding principles in the believer’s life.

So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water; and putting it on her shoulder, he gave it and the boy to Hagar, and sent her away. Then she departed and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba (Genesis 21:14).

Paul in [Galatians 5:24] is urging believers to decisively reject self-reliance, pride, and the old sinful nature that seeks to please God by human effort. Abraham’s early rising in [Genesis 21:14] shows obedience without delay, he did not negotiate with the flesh. Likewise, spiritual victory comes when we act decisively to put to death the old nature, refusing to let fleshly desires rule alongside the Spirit. The flesh must not merely be restrained, it must be crucified, for grace to thrive. True freedom and fruitfulness come when we live fully in the power of the Spirit, not in the confidence of the flesh.

 

God preserves Ishmael and Hagar in the desert

God remains faithful and compassionate even in moments of abandonment and despair. Hagar and Ishmael, though cast out and wandering in the wilderness, were not forgotten by God. God’s care reaches us in our condition and place, not after we have improved or found our way, but right where we are. Whether Hagar's miracle was a result of creation or revelation, it reveals God's provision.

And God heard the voice of the lad. Then the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, “What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. 18 Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation.” (Genesis 21:17, 18).

God supplies what we cannot find for ourselves, both physically (water) and spiritually (hope). Additionally, God’s promise to make Ishmael a great nation demonstrates that His purposes stand, even when circumstances appear hopeless. No wilderness is too barren for God’s mercy, and His promises sustain us when everything else runs dry.

 

Abraham makes a no-hostility treaty with Abimelech

Beersheba (Hebrew: Be’er Sheva) has double meaning the Well of Oath and Divine. Beersheba (Well of seven), refers to the seven ewe lambs Abraham gave to Abimelech as a witness to the covenant. Beersheba (Well of the oath) points to the solemn oath sworn between Abraham and Abimelech. Situated at the southern edge of Canaan, Beersheba became a key frontier settlement, symbolizing the boundary of God’s promise from Dan to Beersheba [Judges 20:1; 1 Samuel 3:20]. Beersheba stands as a symbol of God’s enduring promise and sustaining grace. Across generations, from Abraham to Elijah, it marked wells of water, worship, and witness. In the believer’s life, “Beersheba moments” remind us that God’s faithfulness runs deeper than any drought, and His covenant presence refreshes all who seek Him.

And he said, “You will take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that they may be my witness that I have dug this well.” 31 Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because the two of them swore an oath there (Genesis 21:30-31).

Abraham’s well at Beersheba marked peaceful coexistence between God’s chosen servant and surrounding nations. The well symbolizes provision and life in a desert region. The oath signifies trust, integrity, and faithfulness. Through this act, Abraham publicly acknowledged God as the “Everlasting God” (El Olam), the one who sustains His promises through generations (Genesis 21:33).

 

God desires believers to live as peacemakers, trusting Him to establish and preserve what He provides. Even in disputes or scarcity, faithfulness to God’s covenant produces lasting peace. Isaac: reaffirmed the Promise [Genesis 26:23–33], he re-dug the wells of his father and experienced renewed revelation at Beersheba, and God declared a promise to him [Genesis 26:24]. Isaac built an altar and called upon the Lord’s name, continuing the covenant line begun with Abraham. Each generation must rediscover God personally. We may inherit blessings, but faith must be reaffirmed through obedience, worship, and personal encounter. Jacob: Divine Assurance in Transition [Genesis 46:1–7]. Before leaving for Egypt, Jacob stopped at Beersheba to offer sacrifices. God appeared and reassured him that His presence would go with him into Egypt and bring his descendants back again. Beersheba thus became a place of confirmation before a major life transition. When we face uncertain changes, God still meets us at our “Beershebas” to confirm His presence and purpose. Every divine promise includes His companionship.

 

Beersheba later became part of the inheritance of Judah and Simeon, Israel’s settlement and national identity [Joshua 15:28; 19:2; Judges 20:1]. The expression “from Dan to Beersheba” described the full extent of Israel’s land, symbolizing national completeness under God’s promise. God’s promises cover every boundary of our lives. His covenant presence defines the full scope of our inheritance in Christ [Ephesians 1:11–14]. Samuel’s Sons: Judged in Beersheba [1 Samuel 8:2], showing the city’s role in governance and justice. King Saul: Fortified it during wars with the Amalekites [1 Samuel 14:48; 15:2–9]. Elijah: Fled there when pursued by Jezebel and encountered divine renewal [1 Kings 19:3–8]. Beersheba became a spiritual and strategic center, a place of leadership, refuge, and divine restoration. Even in moments of fear or exhaustion, God’s wells of grace are available. He refreshes weary servants and restores their calling. Therefore, Beersheba embodies: God’s covenant of faithfulness, His promises endure through generations. Then, Divine Provision, God provides wells of life even in barren places. Finally, Renewed Encounters, at Beersheba, patriarchs and prophets met God afresh.

 

Abraham calls on the name of the LORD

Abraham’s worship in Beersheba, after establishing peace with Abimelech and securing the well at Beersheba, was not merely a celebration of his success; it was a worshipful act. Planting a tamarisk tree symbolized permanence and rooted faith, while calling on “the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God (El Olam) expressed reverence for God’s unchanging nature.

Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God (Genesis 21:33).

Abraham understood that the greatest blessing was not the well, the land, or the treaty; it was the Lord’s abiding presence. His prayer revealed a deep longing for continued fellowship with the Everlasting God, whose promises endure beyond circumstances. Even in prosperity or conflict, Abraham sought God first. His heart was anchored in relationship, not possessions or victories. True faith prioritizes God’s presence over material prosperity or human peace. Abraham’s life was not free of strife family tension and conflict. Yet, instead of allowing these tensions to harden his heart, Abraham let them draw him nearer to God. Each challenge became a fresh altar moment, a call to deeper dependence. Challenges should never push believers away from God but drive them to deeper communion with Him.

 

The tamarisk is a slow-growing, deep-rooted tree that thrives in arid climates, much like Abraham’s faith that grew through testing and endured in dry seasons. It served as a living memorial of God’s covenant faithfulness in the wilderness of Beersheba. Faith that is rooted in God’s eternal nature can thrive even in spiritual deserts.

George Ruheni, PhD.